_Aphanapteryx hawkinsi_ Forbes, Nature XLVI, p. 252.
_Diaphorapteryx hawkinsi_ Forbes, Bull. B.O.C.I. p. XXI, 1893.
The remains of this bird were first sent to Dr. H. O. Forbes in 1892 by the
late W. Hawkins, from the Chatham Islands, 500 miles E.S.E. of New Zealand.
It appears to have been confined to the Island of Wharekauri. Dr. Forbes
subsequently went to the Chathams himself and collected a large number of
bones of various extinct birds, including those of _Diaphorapteryx_. In
1895 I received a consignment of bones through the agency of Mr.
Dannefaerd, from the Chathams, such as has never been equalled from any
deposit elsewhere, for literally there were many hundreds of thousands of
bones of a considerable number of species of birds. From this collection
Mr. C. W. Andrews was able to draw up a most minute description of the
skeleton of _Diaphorapteryx_, founded on several practically complete
skeletons, some thirty or more skulls, and several thousand individual
bones of various portions of the skeleton. This description, published in
Novitates Zoologicae, Vol. III, pp. 73-84, is too long for reproduction
here, and so I must refer my readers to it.
This bird, as well as the _Palaeolimnas_, shows an apparent relationship
between the Chatham Islands and the Mascarene Islands; but I believe that
{134} this is not a real relationship, as has been asserted, due to a
former land-connection, but merely a case of parallel development owing to
similar conditions of existence.
Habitat: Wharekauri Island, Chatham Islands.
In the Tring Museum are two complete skeletons, more than a thousand bones,
and about fifteen skulls.
One almost complete skeleton, and the type, skull, and bones, are in the
British Museum.
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